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For the one-dimensional freely jointed chain, counting right- and left-pointing links givesThereforeChoosing which links point right gives the state degeneracyPut $x=L/(Na)$. Applying the Stirling formula to $S=k_B\log \Omega$ and discarding terms subleading in $N$ yields

The parity of a wavefunction is its eigenvalue under spatial reflection: $\psi (-x)=+\psi (x)$ for even parity and $\psi (-x)=-\psi (x)$ for odd parity. If $V(-x)=V(x)$, the Hamiltonian commutes with reflection, so its energy eigenspaces admit a parity eigenbasis. In particular, every nondegenerate bound-state energy eigenfunction has definite parity; within a degenerate scattering eigenspace one must choose the even and odd linear combinations.

The extension of the one-dimensional freely jointed chain isAs the integer $n_{+}$ runs from $0$ to $n$, the possible extensions are thereforeFor fixed $n_{+}$ and $n_{-}=n-n_{+}$, choosing which $n_{+}$ of the $n$ links point in the positive direction determines the microstate. The state degeneracy is consequently the binomial coefficient

Several microstates can have the same extension. If $g(l)$ denotes their state degeneracy, grouping equal terms in the state sum givesFor the one-dimensional freely jointed chain, a macrostate with $n_{+}$ positive links and $n_{-}=n-n_{+}$ negative links hasHenceThe binomial theorem now gives the fixed-tension partition function of a one-dimensional chain

Separation with Dirichlet walls givesFor $a<b<c$, the ground state $(1,1,1)$ has a nondegenerate energy. The cheapest excitation changes the quantum number in the longest direction, so the first excited state $(1,1,2)$ also has a nondegenerate energy.

If $a<b=c$, the ground-state energy remains nondegenerate, but $(1,2,1)$ and $(1,1,2)$ have equal first-excited energy, giving degeneracy two.